Giant Yellow Birds and a Bridal Show

Wow!  What and amazing day!  Cassey (my awesome 2nd shooter and PR Guru) and I had so much fun at the Bartlesville Spring and Bridal Show today.  The Bridal Show was held at the Hilton Garden Inn in historic downtown Bartlesville, Oklahoma.  We met with some adorable brides-to-be and look forward to working with them in the near future!

Here's the slideshow we featured at our booth, to show our photographic voice.

So let's get to the matter of the Giant Yellow Birds...........Cassey and I thought it would be so neat if we dressed alike to look like the perfect "TEAM".  Cassey found these matching shirts and they worked perfectly with our booth's color scheme.  After setting our booth up we hustled to the bathroom to get dressed up for the show.  We thought we looked awesome......and then we saw this photo.  EPIC FAIL! 

Lesson learned......don't pose for a photo with your hand on your hip, if it's going to make you look like you have "Big Bird's" wings.  UGH!

 

Until next time,

MW

Oklahoma Snow

Had ourselves a little snow storm last night in Oklahoma.  Ginormous flakes.  Like I'm talking the size of pingpong balls!  Maybe BASEBALLS!  Ok, ok I might be exaggerating.  But it was really snowing.

I woke up this morning and looked out the window, yep there was snow on the ground.  And by 8 am..........it was gone.

Welcome to Oklahoma.

MW

Hayes Price - Month 1

Wow....so obviously I'm terrible at keeping an on going blog about my son going!  Geesh!  Hayes' first month was full of learning for momma and daddy!

Due to Hayes weakened immune system we were told to keep in home for at least a month with not too many visitors.  How in the world were we supposed to do that when this little guy had so many family and friends that wanted to see him!

I was so glad that both my mom and dad were able to be close when we brought Hayes home.

Hayes had his first doctors visit just two days after we got home.  Dr. McDowell told us that we had a very healthy little boy and was so happy that he was an ounce over his birth weight!  Not bad for a little guy what went for 24 hours without eating.

First thing out of the gate, one week later, was the 4th of July!  Kyle's parents and sister came up for the day.  Kyle's Aunt and Uncle even stopped by.

Momma and Hayes began taking daily walks.  It was great to get outside and get some fresh air.

Hayes reminds me everyday that he is so much like his daddy!

Hayes was a pretty easy baby.  He stayed on an 3 hour eating schedule and was pretty happy.  His only down fall was that he was a very noisy sleeper.  So at 2 weeks old we moved him into his own room and boy am I glad we did!  He started sleeping a little longer during the night and I got a little more sleep.  It was a win win situation.

Here are a few of Hayes' one month photos.

Welcome Hayes Price!

So I might be a little late getting around to doing this......ok ok.....maybe 3 months late!  But it's ok, I've been given a permanent hall pass to be late at everything I do from here on out.......I'm a mom!

On Friday June 22nd, Kyle and I welcomed our little fighting miracle.  

Hayes Price Whitfield

My mom had been down staying with me during the day and we had just came home from town when I walked in the door and my water broke.  It was 2:30 pm and I quickly decided that I could hide the fact that my water had broke from my mom until Kyle got home from work.  I quickly called Kyle and told him to get home.  Well I was wrong about being able to hide being in labor from my mom.  You are probably wondering why I wanted to hide it from my mom.....well if you know my mom you'll agree with me.......I knew she'd begin running around the house like a chicken with her head cut off.  And guess what she did when she found out......she ran around the house like a chicken with her head cut off.  

We ended up meeting Kyle in Talala and Kyle and I made it back to the hospital around 4:30pm.  When we arrived I was already dilated to 6cm.  I was admitted into my delivery room and at 9:10pm our little guy was born, 8lbs 5oz and 21.5 inches long.What an amazing experience!

When Hayes was born he wasn't breathing and his white blood cell count was high.  They quickly took him to the Special Care Nursery and Kyle followed.  I was able to see him on my way from my delivery room to my main room.  Let me tell you that it was the worst feeling in the world not getting to hold my little guy and seeing him hooked up to machines.  Kyle and I finally got to hold him and feed him the next morning at 9am.  During that day they were weaning him off of oxygen and things were looking up, except for the fact that he wasn't eating very well.  That evening while my mom was holding him for the first time, he D-stated.  They asked us to leave while they inserted a feeding tube and told us to go back to the room to get some rest.

About an hour later Hayes' nurse came in my room and told us that he was fighting an infection and that he needed to go to the NICU.

Seeing Hayes in the NICU was both heart breaking and it put my heart at peace as well.  He had a nurse on every limb of his body.  He couldn't have been in better hands.  The next day, Sunday, I was released from the hospital.  Kyle and I were fortunate enough to get a visitors room in the hospital and we were only 5 mins away from him at most.   

This is the first morning after Hayes was put in the NICU.  He was resting soundly after given medication to fight off the infection.

I cry every time I see this photo.  

Talk about a little fighter!   By Monday evening he was responding so good to the medication that he was taken off of oxygen. And we began trying to feed him by bottle too!  At his 1am feeding on Tuesday morning we began fighting to get 10ml down him and by 4am on Wednesday morning we were feeding him 60ml!  

I even got to try breast feeding him on Tuesday evening and he latched on with out any problems!  While I was feeding him at his 7am feeding on Wednesday morning his Dr. Siddiki came in and asked me if I'd like to take my little boy home today.  I couldn't believe what I was hearing.  We were told he would probably be in the NICU for 14 days.  Yes. YES!  I want to take my little boy home with me today!

Going home on Wednesday, June 27th!

I may not look the best, but I couldn't have felt better!  

Here are a few of his newborn photos.

The best things in life......

Since quitting my 'real' job back in July and going full time with my photography dream, I have learned to enjoy the small (best) things in life.

1. Sleeping in the same bed every night. (However, I would like a new mattress.)
2. Seeing my cowboy each and every day. (Guess what.....we still get along and enjoy our time together!)
3. Being excited again about going 'out' to eat. (Last night we went out to the new place in Nowata)
4. Naps (Zzzzzzzzzz)
5. Crafts (Knitting and Quilting)
6. Spending time with my parents when they come to visit.  (I miss my mom and dad like a little girl)
7. Going on business trips with my cowboy.  (It's like little mini vacations!)
8. Setting my own schedule. ( I can always do that tomorrow!)
9. Cooking (My cooking has considerably gotten better.)
10. Snuggle time with my favorite little dog Gus. (He's momma's little boy.)

Gus loves to sit in the recliner with me while I work on my computer.

I love this adorable face!

MW

The Iowa Nilan Family Christmas 2011

This blog post might be a little past due, but hey at least I'm getting caught up!

Every year my cowboy, Gus, and I make a trip back home to the land of corn, soybeans, and feedlot cattle for Christmas.  Most years we celebrate Christmas with my family the weekend after Christmas, however if it Christmas lands on the weekend we spend it with my family on the actual date.  So the last two years we've been in Iowa on December 25th.

Now apparently my mother seems to think that we need to get a new family photo every year.  And who better to take the photos then her FAVORITE daughter, who happens to be a photographer, me.  Now here's the dilemma.......not only do I have to "take" the photo, but I also have to be "in" the photo.  Does anyone else see a problem here?

Well, last year I didn't use my head.  I had my camera.  I had my tripod.  I had the perfect spot.  I didn't have my remote for my camera.  Dang.  So for every photo I had to set the timer on my camera and run run run to my spot.  Snap.  Then I'd run back to the tripod and camera check the photo.  Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.  Needless to say by the fifth photo I was winded with a very red face.  You might ask why did I take so many photos.....well when you're working with 16 people......isn't that answer enough?  

So this year I thought I'd be smarter.  I remembered my remote!  I made sure it was working in the house. I found the perfect spot.  I got my tripod set.  I got all my family members arranged.  I hit the trigger button........nothing!  Are you kidding me?  So yet again this year I had to do the running back and forth again, and again, and again.

The Nilan Family 2011

Here is a second photo just to show you how awesome I am at getting myself back into the very same position.

Not too bad and that's including two dogs in the mix!

This is a photo of my nephew Holden and his two most favorite women in his life.  I'm not going to say which is his favorite, but like most men I'm sure you can figure that one out!  Sorry Shelbie!

I can't believe that my nieces and nephews are old enough to have boyfriends and girlfriends!  This is my niece Kysa and her boyfriend Colby.

While I was getting my settings set on my camera I happened to catch a photo of my dad.  I love this photo of my dad because it shows his real smile.  If you look at the big family photos you'll see that he usually has a forced smile in photos.  In just two days he will be turing 70 years old.  He doesn't look like it, does he?  

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Until next time,

MW

An Indian Celebration: Eshaan's Babri

 This past weekend I had the amazing opportunity to document an Indian celebration.  The Panchal family was celebrating little Eshaan's Babri.  In the Indian culture they do not cut a boys hair until they celebrate their Babri.  This can be when the boy is 18 months to 5 years.  Family and friends come to celebrate for the joyous occasion.

Eshaan didn't know what to think of the clippers.  I'd be scared too little man!

He did such a good job and didn't cry once during the shaving.  Of course, I about cried....he was so cute with hair!

Eshaan kept an open eye but took it like a champ.

Eshaan's older sister, Emani, couldn't stop touching his head.  She said it felt so prickly!

They had computers close so that they could Skype with family from London and Nebraska. Smart.

After the ceremony, they had a traditional Indian lunch.  Here is my plate.  Doesn't it look amazing?!?!  It tasted amazing too!

We took some family photos before and after the ceremony to capture the before and after looks of Eshaan.

Still adorable as ever!

The party wasn't over.  Friends and Family were meeting at the beautiful Cherokee Strip Civic Center in Enid for a party that evening, called a Garba.  Isn't the building amazing?!?!

Such a beautiful family!

Amit and Dee, thank you very much for asking me to document your celebration.  I had an amazing time learning about your culture and meeting your amazing family and friends.  

Thanks again,

MW

Pasture Roping 101

This is for those of you that didn't make it out to the 2011 Brewster Ranch Labor Day Pasture Roping and Western Weekend in Bristow, Ok.  The pasture roping is full of fun and excitement!

A cowboy's horse tripped and got his head stuck in the ground.  You can see the dirt flying in the second photo from the horse getting his head unstuck.  This could be wreck didn't faze this cowboy he still roped two feet clean.  Bam!

Just a little sampling of the Bonus Steer Round.  The Top 4 Teams and the Top #11 Team got a chance to rope for a $500 Bonus, winners take all.

Some steers thought it would be safer to run into the pond.  That wasn't a concern to Cody Brown and the 6 hour old saddle that he had just finished before heading to the roping.  I was standing next to his wife and she was not happy to say the least!  

Some photos from the 1st and 2nd Rounds.

Now here are some Pretty Ladies on Fast Horses.  I'm talking about the Pasture Barrel Race.  The third barrel is a pond!

Cas Salley is the producer of the Pasture Roping.  He's not the kind of guy to just sit around and watch.  This is Cas heading and his heeler Ryan Victory.

Did anyone else see this guy fall off?

Good Times!

MW